Fact Check: "At the same visit that resulted in McIver’s charges, Newark Mayor Ras Baraka was arrested on a trespassing charge, which was later dropped."
What We Know
On May 15, 2025, Newark Mayor Ras Baraka was arrested at the Delaney Hall Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) detention facility while attempting to join a congressional delegation, including Congresswoman LaMonica McIver, who was facing charges of assaulting law enforcement at the same time (source-2, source-4). Baraka was charged with trespassing after he allegedly ignored warnings from federal officials to leave the property (source-3). The charge was later dismissed by a federal judge, who agreed with Baraka's assertion that he had been wrongfully arrested (source-1, source-5).
Analysis
The claim that Mayor Ras Baraka was arrested on a trespassing charge during the same visit that resulted in Congresswoman McIver's charges is substantiated by multiple reliable sources. The timeline of events indicates that both incidents occurred concurrently, as Baraka was at the Delaney Hall facility to support McIver and other congressional members (source-2, source-4).
Baraka's arrest was widely reported, and his subsequent court appearance highlighted his claims of being politically targeted due to his outspoken opposition to the Trump administration's immigration policies (source-3). The dismissal of the trespassing charge further supports the claim that the arrest was not justified, as the judge found merit in Baraka's defense (source-1, source-5).
The sources used in this analysis are credible, including major news outlets such as the Associated Press and The New York Times, which have a history of accurate reporting. The official statement from Baraka's office also adds to the reliability of the information presented (source-1).
Conclusion
The claim that Newark Mayor Ras Baraka was arrested on a trespassing charge during the same visit that resulted in Congresswoman LaMonica McIver's charges, which was later dropped, is True. The evidence supports that both incidents occurred concurrently, and the dismissal of Baraka's trespassing charge reinforces the assertion that his arrest was unwarranted.
